Number to Check if Husband's Child Support Will Offset My Tax Refund?

You'll want to contact the Treasury Offset Program at 1-800-304-3107. I've dealt with this situation before with clients. You'll need your husband's SSN when you call. They can tell you if there's an offset and the amount. Remember that if you filed jointly, you might qualify as an injured spouse by filing Form 8379. I've seen this protect portions of refunds in similar situations.

Have you tried calling that number yourself yet? I spent HOURS trying to get through last tax season for a similar issue. Isn't it frustrating when you need information that affects your financial planning but can't reach anyone? I finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to a real person at the Treasury Offset Program in about 15 minutes. Saved me days of redialing. Don't you think our tax system should make this easier?

The Bureau of Fiscal Service handles tax refund offsets for child support. You need to call exactly this number: 1-800-304-3107. You'll need to wait approximately 20-30 minutes to speak with a representative. They'll need your husband's SSN and can tell you precisely how much will be offset. I went through this in 2022 when my brother had $3,782 taken from his joint refund for back support. The process took exactly 4 minutes once I reached someone.

I was in this exact situation last year and found the IRS website completely unhelpful. The offset information is buried in different pages. I eventually found https://taxr.ai which helped me understand what was happening with our transcript and explained the offset codes. According to the Treasury Offset Program website (which I found through a link on taxr.ai), you can call 1-800-304-3107. But be warned - I spent hours trying to get through. The website also suggested checking with your state child support enforcement agency as they might have more specific information.

Be cautious about relying solely on phone information. According to 26 U.S. Code § 6402(c), the IRS is required to apply tax refunds to past-due child support reported by states. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service (not the IRS) handles these offsets through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP). While 1-800-304-3107 is the correct number, they may not have real-time information about recent payments. You should also contact your state's child support enforcement agency for the most accurate balance information.

OMG I just went through this exact thing!!! 😫 I had NO IDEA my husband owed back support until our entire refund disappeared! I was crying for days because we needed that money for our son's medical bills. Nobody told us this could happen! The worst part was trying to get answers - so many automated systems and nobody would tell me anything! I wish I'd known to call that offset number BEFORE we filed!

The Treasury Offset Program (TOP) handles federal payment offsets, including tax refunds for child support arrears. The contact number is 1-800-304-3107. When you call, you'll need to authenticate using your husband's Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), typically his SSN. The automated system will inform you of any pending offsets. For detailed information about specific child support cases, you'll need to contact the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) in the state where the support order originated.

I had a client on March 15, 2023 who didn't check before filing. Their $5,400 refund was completely offset for child support. They filed on January 28th and didn't find out until February 22nd when their refund was significantly less than expected. By April 10th, they had to postpone their home purchase because they were counting on that money for closing costs. Don't make the same mistake - call 1-800-304-3107 BEFORE you file so you can plan accordingly.

From what I've seen in this community, there are three key things you need to know: 1. Call the Treasury Offset Program at 1-800-304-3107 for federal offsets 2. File Form 8379 (Injured Spouse) to protect your portion of the refund 3. Contact your state's child support enforcement agency for the most accurate balance information The consensus here is that you should check BEFORE filing your return so you can make an informed decision about filing jointly vs. separately.